Woman goes to Costco for popular type of Brita water filter. Then she notices something unusual about what’s on display

One of the most annoying things that can happen when you go to the store is arriving, then realizing that the item that you really wanted is not in stock.

To make matters worse, stores will sometimes make it appear that they have something you want, only for you to realize later that they do not—or that they, for one reason or another, don’t want to sell it to you. For example, many internet users have complained about being told an item was out of stock, only for them to find it themselves in the store later.

Sometimes, a store will carry all the signs of having a product, but not really have it in stock. One user on TikTok recently sparked discussion after seemingly encountering this phenomenon at Costco—and now, she’s got questions.

What’s Going On At This Costco?

In a video with over 145,000 views, TikTok user Crystalle (@crystalle2711) shows herself in front of a display at Costco. While the display appears to just be a normal stack of Brita filters, Crystalle says that something is amiss.

“Costco, I have a question,” she starts.

The TikToker then shows the advertisement placed on the display. 

“This says ‘Brita Lake Pitcher.’ OK? This is the one I want,” she says. She then notes that the pitcher in the image has a feature called “autofill.”

However, upon closer inspection, it seems that the Brita filters for sale next to the advertisement are not the Brita Lake Pitcher.

“These are Brita Originals, which are not the autofill,” she notes. “Why are we advertising that it’s this one when it’s not that one?”

What Happened To The Brita Lake Pitcher?

It appears that the Brita Lake Pitcher was discontinued. 

The product is not available on the Brita website. Stores that previously sold the Brita Lake Pitcher, such as Walmart and Costco, now list the product as “Out of Stock.” While some stores may still carry remaining inventory, it seems that the Brita Lake Pitcher is no longer part of the main Brita lineup.

What made the Brita Lake Pitcher unique was its “autofill” lid. This worked by having an automated, pressure-operated fill flap. To fill up the Brita filter, one would put the faucet over the center lid. From there, the pressure of the faucet water would push the flap down, automatically closing once the reservoir fills.

It does not appear that Brita currently sells a water filter that uses this technology. As for why Costco appears to have mislabeled the filters that are still for sale, it is likely simply an accident.

Is This False Advertising?

It’s possible—though whether one would find any value in pursuing a legal solution to this problem is questionable.

The FTC defines a deceptive practice as “a material representation, omission or practice that is likely to mislead a consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances.”

As this sign appears to identify the nearby products as Brita Lake Pitchers, even though they are actually a different model, one could make the argument that the store provided customers with a misleading impression. The FTC notes that this is dependent on what consumers reasonably understand advertisements to mean, not whether the alleged deception was intentional. In other words, it does not matter if the placement of the advertisement near the products was accidental.

That said, the pitchers seem clearly marked in other ways. Consequently, it would be unlikely that one could successfully argue that Costco was intentionally being deceptive when placing this product out in the aisles with the incorrect advertisement.

Commenters Don’t See The Problem

In the comments section, users suggested that the TikToker take the issue up with Costco, not the internet.

“So they have a service desk right at the front of the store AND there’s employees walking around in red vests. Hope this helps,” joked a user.

“Its either an old display or they got sent the wrong display,” offered another.

Others simply provided the TikToker with suitable alternatives.

“Dont get that. Get the Culligan ZeroWater!!!! It’s way better on filtration,” said a commenter.

“Mine grew mold so fast. I have lifestraw now and it’s so much better,” alleged a second.

@crystalle2711 Brita where is the lake pitcher?????!!! #brita #britapitcher #costco #costcotiktok ♬ original sound – Crystalle ?

We’ve reached out to Brita via email, Crystalle via TikTok direct message and comment, and Costco via media relations contact form. 

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